This invention relates to devices for handling bales of hay or other material, and is more particularly directed to a device that can be tractor mounted and is well suited for picking up and moving large bales of any cross-sectional geometry.
Recently, round baling machines have become predominant for baling hay, because of the costs of labor and of storage facilities for the hay. The round baling process permits a one-man haying operation, and produces large round hay bales, which are packed weather-tight and can remain outdoors until needed. However, these large round bales are difficult to lift and stack, and require elaborate equipment for transport of the bales.
Also, because of their immense size and round shape, it is not a simple matter to lift a large round hay bale by ordinary techniques. Typically, a fork system of elongated tines is employed to engage a side of the round bale, and a swinging grappling assembly reaches over the bale to grasp the reverse side of the bale. One such arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,252. Another system using a similar principle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,726.
With these systems, it is difficult to lift the bale from above, and size adjustment is usually required if the round hay bales are not all the same general size.